We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Junior Elijah Blackcrow scores a first quarter basket in the win over Big Sandy Friday evening.
Sophomore Chance Main scores over the Pioneer defense early in the contest.
The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds raced past the Big Sandy Pioneers Friday evening 77-23 they opened up a 14 point third quarter lead over the North Star Knight Saturday before holding on for a 62-61 District 9C win to improve to 7-4 in conference play and 8-6 overall.
Friday the team headed to Big sandy to take on the winless Pioneers. The Thunderbirds started fast and scored often never letting the Pioneers get any traction in the contest.
Junior Frank RunsAbove tallied 17 first half points and junior Tyson Shambo added 14 as the Thunderbirds held a 52-16 advantage at the break.
Hays/Lodge Pole coasted to a 77-23 win. Shambo finished the contest with 22 points while RunsAbove scored 21.
Saturday the boys welcomed their conference rivals from North Star to town in a battle for post season tournament positioning. With a loss the Thunderbirds could drop as far as fifth with a win they would move into third.
The Knights got off to a quick start and held a 18-16 lead entering the second quarter. RunsAbove would ignite the Thunderbird offense scoring ten points in the stanza helping Hays/Lodge Pole take a 30-26 lead into halftime.
Shambo and senior Damon Castillo kept the offense rolling in the third quarter. Shambo drained a long three and a couple of buckets for seven points and Castillo knocked down two from beyond the arc giving the Thunderbirds a 48-38 lead with eight minutes left in the contest.
Hays/Lodge Pole extended the advantage to fourteen before a three point barrage by the Knights got the visitors back in the game.
The Knight's would get close but never take the lead and following a pair of free throws from the charity stripe by RunsAbove the Thunderbirds were able to secure a hard fought 62-61 conference win.
RunsAbove finished the contest with 26 points, Castillo added a dozen and Shambo contributed 11 in the win.
With tournaments just two weeks away the Thunderbirds have moved into the number three slot in the district.
Hays/Lodge Pole will host a pair of conference clashes this weekend as they first welcome the Turner Tornadoes to town on Friday and then the Fort Benton Longhorns on Saturday.
The District 9C Tournament will take place February 17-20 at the Havre High School gymnasium.
